9 unknown destinations you’ll really want to discover

Albania is appearing more and more often as a holiday destination, but Cape of Rodon is still flying under the radar for now. This rocky cape lies on the Adriatic Sea, north of Durrës. You get a lot of Albania here all at once: rugged coastline, sandy beaches, ancient ruins, and prices that are still friendlier than in many better-known spots on the Mediterranean.

The region was hit by a major earthquake in 2019 but has been rebuilding ever since. That also makes a visit feel like a way to support local tourism. You come here for walking routes towards the tip of the cape, sweeping sea views, and quiet beaches where you won’t be lying towel to towel straight away. Albania may be growing in popularity, but this place still doesn’t feel taken over by the crowds.

Iceland has become hugely popular in recent years. Anyone driving the Golden Circle is rarely alone at a waterfall these days. But in the north, you’ll still find places where you really do get that rugged, empty Iceland feeling. Aldeyjarfoss is one of them. The road there is dusty and partly unpaved, which is why many tour operators skip this stop. Good to know!

After a bumpy drive, you arrive at a waterfall plunging down between dark basalt columns. The water is icy blue, the surroundings bare and volcanic. No souvenir shops, no busy car park, no queue for the same photo. Just water, stone, wind, and that typical feeling that sometimes makes Iceland seem otherworldly. Do check in advance whether your rental car can drive on this road.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is still often linked to its difficult past, but anyone who travels there mainly discovers a country full of nature, hospitality, and surprisingly beautiful places. Blagaj is one of them. This small village lies close to Mostar and is best known for the Tekija monastery, built against a steep cliff beside the bright blue waters of the Buna.

The setting looks almost too beautiful to be real: limestone cliffs, clear water, little bridges, and a monastery that seems to have been leaning against the rock face for centuries. Blagaj is compact, but it stays with you. Combine your visit with Mostar but make sure you stay here long enough to feel the tranquillity of the place.

Many travellers dream of the Scottish Highlands, but stick to Edinburgh, Glasgow, or the well-known classics. If you do want to head into the mountains without starting on the busiest routes straight away, set your sights on Beinn Ime. At 1,011 metres, this is the highest mountain in the Arrochar Alps and a solid but achievable challenge for anyone who enjoys walking.

The route starts at Succoth car park and winds through a landscape of lochs, rocks, and open mountain slopes. Along the way, you’ll also pass The Cobbler, one of the best-known mountains in the region. In clear weather, you’ll have views over Loch Long and the surrounding Highlands. In Scottish weather, you’ll get rain, wind, and character. Also well worth it, but you’ll need the right jacket.

Some places feel so personal that you’d almost rather keep them to yourself. Perdika, on the Greek coast opposite Corfu, is one of those places. No major resort boulevard, no place you’ve already seen a hundred times on Instagram, just clear water, small beaches, and fishing villages where the days seem to slow down naturally.

You live for a few days at the pace of the sea there. Swimming, having a drink by the water, taking a little boat to a hidden bay, lingering over long meals, swimming again. It can get livelier in the summer, but outside peak season, it remains a place where you can still easily find a quiet corner.

Kyrgyzstan remains a big question mark for many travellers, which is a shame, because this Central Asian country is made for anyone who loves mountains, lakes, and routes where you barely meet anyone along the way.

A road trip through Kyrgyzstan is not a polished tour. Online information is sometimes scarce, roads can be challenging, and sometimes, you simply have to see where you end up. But what you get in return is incredible scenery: turquoise lakes between barren mountains, snow-capped peaks, natural hot springs, and routes where you may barely see anyone for hours. If you really want something special, head for Lenin Peak Base Camp, where you’ll find yourself among giants of mountains without needing to be an expedition climber yourself.

When you think of the Thai islands, do you immediately picture crowded beaches, traffic jams of longtail boats, and beach bars with loud music? Then Tarutao National Park is a breath of fresh air. This group of islands in southern Thailand still feels raw, green, and surprisingly peaceful. You won’t find endless rows of hotels or beach loungers here, but jungle, mangroves, deserted bays, and clear water that makes you want to dive straight in.

You don’t come here for the nightlife, but for kayaking along rocky coastlines, snorkelling among colourful fish, and waking up to the sounds of nature. You’ll sleep in basic accommodations on some islands, on others you mainly come to lose yourself for a day between sea, beach, and jungle. That’s exactly why it feels like stepping away from the classic Thailand route for a while.

You don’t have to go to the Jordanian desert or the Australian outback to see an impressive starry sky. On Terschelling lies De Boschplaat, a nature reserve on the eastern side of the island and one of the darkest places in the Netherlands. On a clear night, you can even see the Milky Way here.

But De Boschplaat is not only special at night. By day, you can walk or cycle past salt marshes, dunes, deserted beaches, and vast skies where the wind has free rein. Birds clearly take priority over people here: between March and September, parts of the area are inaccessible to protect nesting birds. That only makes the place even more valuable: you come here to be a guest in nature for a while.